


I'm In Heaven

by Born_To_Be_Wilde



Series: Cheek To Cheek [1]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Captain America Secret Santa 2018, Fred Astaire lyrics, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/referanced transphobia, It's cute so deal with it, M/M, Period Typical Attitudes, Pre war stucky, Pre-World War II Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, Stucky - Freeform, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Trans Male Character, Trans Steve Rogers, writer is trans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-29 14:57:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17205524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Born_To_Be_Wilde/pseuds/Born_To_Be_Wilde
Summary: Steve is having a bad day and his best guy, Bucky, takes it upon himself to try to cheer him up.Inspired by the Fred Astaire song Cheek to Cheek.A gift for Through-Shadows-Falling on tumblr. I hope you like it, sweetie.





	I'm In Heaven

It was a clear spring evening. The past few days had been heavy with rain and left the streets fresh and clean as they could be. Birds had returned from the south and were starting to pair up with new nests in old trees. Bucky had been working a particularly grueling shift at the docks, but knew it was always worth it coming home to Steve. To their grimy little apartment that needed a paint job and was draftier than hell. But it was theirs and more precious to the couple than life itself, save for maybe each other.

When he came in Steve was already home. The blond had taken up a light job at the local barber shop. It was just sweeping hair and the like, boys work, but they needed the money and little else fit around Steve’s health. Which took dips and turns depending on the weather and luck. Living together meant they had to master how to thrive without a woman. Steve already knew, of course, but he didn’t like acting akin to a housewife and Bucky was more than aware of that so he was happy to learn. The brunette could darn his own socks now, cook a few meals, get in the groceries. His pa would have probably laughed at the thought, but to the devil with the old man. People have done more for love.

Walking in, Bucky left his coat over the beaten up couch and began to walk over to Steve, who was peeling potatoes. He placed a few kisses on the other man’s neck, causing him to chortle and nearly drop the knife.

> “Good to see you too, Buck. How was your day?”
> 
> “All the better now, handsome.”

Bucky’s calloused hands started to travel down Steve’s worn grey button up shirt, until he felt the tell tale elastic garment underneath.

> “You still got that flattener on? Thought you promised me you wouldn’t wear it at home. For your lungs.”

Steve sighed and tried to focus on his task. He did make that promise to Bucky, and normally he kept it. But despite his clothes, hair and training to keep his voice low he still got called ‘miss’ at the store today. The feeling had been so sharp he hadn’t wanted to take off his flattener when he got home, then forgot it was still on over the hours.

> “It happened again today. Got mistaken for a dame. I didn’t…”

His voice caught in his throat as he heard himself. At home all the little things that Steve did to look more like a typical guy didn’t feel as important. He still did stuff, yeah. Wanted to feel better about passing the bathroom mirror like we all do. But Bucky wasn’t going to suddenly treat him like a girl if he spoke a little higher or if his chest was peeking through the shirt. Didn’t mean the feelings just stopped though; they just got lighter. These things were easier to understand for Steve. He had been in physical pain all his life, what’s a little mental pain on top of that? The background noise of pain. No different than a wireless playing in the next apartment over. Bucky didn’t quite grasp the concept, just like he didn’t quite grasp what it was like to be sick all the time. But he did know that when his man was hurting it was his job to make things as better as he could.

> “Well if you can take it off before we eat I would greatly appreciate it. In fact, why don’t you go do that now while I take over?”

Steve cocked an eyebrow in his boyfriend’s direction. He knew damn well that Bucky was dead on his feet after the long day he must have had, and he certainly didn’t want to cook. It was the only reason why he nodded and went to the bedroom to change. If Bucky was willing to help despite being so tired then he must have really wanted Steve to take the flattener off.

As Steve disappeared, Bucky turned on their little radio. It wasn’t in great shape, something the pair had picked up second hand when a neighbor passed away and her daughter already had one. But it did the job and meant they had something to listen to in the evening or over breakfast. The news was just finishing its eight o’clock report with a weather forecast. Rain wasn’t meant to return for at least a day or two, perfect time to go out dancing if the mood took you. Not that it ever did for the boys. They had been looking into clubs that wouldn’t mind two fellas sharing a number. But it was easier said than done and always dangerous. One day. Bucky was determined that, one day, he would take his best guy out for a night on the town.

Steve came back into the main room, breathing a little easier but eyes a little sadder. He really didn’t want to take the flattener off today. It was a good thing that they were each other’s voice of reason. Well, more Bucky for Steve than the other way around. But they did look after each other as much as they could. Especially when Bucky talked about agreeing to every shift he could take to try to put Steve in luxury and being promptly cut down for the sake of his sleep.

Bucky held Steve for a moment, kissing the top of his head in comfort. Fred Astaire began to sing through the tinny speakers, making the couple look on each other for a moment. A great grin came on Buck’s face as he started to sing along, swaying Steve with him.

> “ _Heaven, I’m in heaven. And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak. And I seem to find the happiness I seek. When we’re out together dancing, cheek to cheek_.”

Steve found himself laughing as his boyfriend pulled them around the tiny free space. But he wasn’t content with following, taking hold of the brunette’s hand and putting it firmly on his own shoulder. He then took Bucky’s waist, and led them both as though he was a foot and a half taller. Bucky always loved it when Steve was like this. Friends had occasionally asked in jest if Steve could kick his ass if the need arose and it took so much to bite his tongue and let his heart rest in his eyes. He just wanted to reply with “yes, of course he could”. Regardless of what it might say on paper, if there was a broad in this relationship it certainly wasn’t Steve.

The two men stepped and twirled in time with the music. Bucky had been on enough dates with girls to know how to dance pretty good, and he had taught Steve a few moves. He always said it was so if Steve wanted to take a lady out she would be as charmed with him as Bucky was. But Steve didn’t really care about it. Girls didn’t tend to look at him long enough for him to want to look back. Bucky on the other hand had always acted like the blond was made of gold and silver since they were children.

The beat picked up in the middle and Bucky leant down to capture Steve’s lips. As their eyes closed they could almost imagine being in a dance hall.

Couples of all genders dancing around them, just as lost in their own partners. No one caring, no one staring, no one stopping. The rough cotton of their cheap clothes melting away into fine linen like that of smart suits. Creaky floorboards became well polished tile that was smoothed to a finish that gleamed under the low lighting. Champagne poured into delicately cut crystal glasses before being sipped or spilt and refilled without worry or care. Perfume and cologne alike floated around perfectly styled hair and sharply shaved jaw lines. In the middle of it all would be Steve and Bucky. Kissing in public as they always dreamed of doing.

The song ended and the radio announcer talked a little before moving onto the next piece. The two men opened their eyes and didn’t even mind that they were back in their apartment alone. Bucky took Steve’s face in his hands and brushed away a few hairs that had fallen into his lover’s face.

> “We should get back to dinner.”

Steve hummed in agreement but pulled the brunette closer still, with no clear intention of letting go. They shared another short kiss as Bucky tried to bring them both towards the small kitchen. He put Steve between his arms and got them both chopping vegetables with much more comfortable smiles on their faces than the few moments earlier when they were trying to cook. Steve leaned a little into Bucky’s arms as he worked and felt more calm than he had all day. Without even thinking he started singing the song again.

> “ _Heaven, I’m in heaven. And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak_.”
> 
> “ _And I seem to find the happiness I seek. When we’re out together dancing, cheek to cheek_.”

And for just a moment it didn’t matter. Didn’t matter that they couldn’t go out dancing. Didn’t matter that they couldn’t kiss in public. Didn’t matter that the food was low quality. Didn’t matter that Steve’s medicine was so expensive. Didn’t matter that Bucky worked too hard. Didn’t matter that the building had a few too many rats in it. It just all didn’t matter because every night Steve and Bucky could fall asleep in each other’s arms knowing that while the world was vast and filled with people, everything they held dear was right here and not going anywhere. The devil himself could appear in the dark and try and tear them apart, but nothing could stop Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you MorningGlory2 for being beta on this work. You are a wonderful writer and brilliant friend. I hope we keep working together on many more pieces.
> 
> If you would like to know about how Steve could have gotten something akin to a binder at the time there is a great article on the subject here:  
> https://witness2fashion.wordpress.com/2014/04/27/underpinning-the-1920s-brassieres-bandeaux-and-bust-flatteners/


End file.
